June 2008

June 30, 2008

Now, before you get upset about revealing a critical secret, realize that this is common knowledge among thieves.

So, what makes these locations so special?

People frequently leave their cars parked at these places with the engine running while they wait (or shop) inside.

Last week, I heard about a woman who parked her car with her baby inside it while she ran into a gas station office to prepay for a purchase. She was gone less than two minutes. And in that tiny moment, someone hopped in her car and drove away.

Both the child and the car are gone.

So, please turn off your car's engine and lock the car any time that you leave it.

I'll add that every time that I go for a walk, I see a half dozen unattended cars with the engines running. This is an unbelievable display of carelessness. It also wastes gas and increases pollution.

June 27, 2008

This stuff wastes your time, if only while you sort through it looking for the real mail that merits attention. It wastes more time if you remove address labels and destroy return cards to prevent identify theft.

Well, good news!

You can stop people from sending junk mail. Here's how:

1) Catalogs

Call the company and ask to be removed from their mailing list.

2) Phone books

Call the phone number on the cover and ask to be put on their Do Not Distribute list.

3) Junk mail

Return the reply card in their prepaid envelope with a note asking to be removed from their mailing list. (I print a page of pink labels that state: "Please remove my name from your mailing list.")

Register your name and address with Green Dimes.

http://www.greendimes.com/

They offer both free and premium (for $20) services that will get your name removed from junk mail lists. They will even plant five trees if you sign up for the premium service.

4) In general

Do not ask for literature or free samples that you know you will discard. Check the box on warranty cards that tells the manufacturer not to distribute your personal information. Note that many these programs are really schemes to harvest addresses.

June 24, 2008

So it can be easy to slip off into being grumpy. And yes, there are times when the burden of life's struggles makes all of us sad.

The problem with being grumpy for too long is that it begins to perpetuate itself.

First, it repels people, which keeps us from receiving the connection that leads to feeling better. Or, it attracts the wrong kind of people -- those who feed off of other's misfortunes.

And then chronic grumpiness inhibits taking risks, which leads to low achievement. It also discourages communication, which leads to operational inefficiency. This becomes a downward spiral because such problems lead to more grumpiness, which lead to more problems.

So, the only way to break out of continuing grumpiness is to stop being grumpy.

I realize that this seems trivial. But it works.

Find one thing that works. Think about one piece of good news. Reflect on one personal victory. Such positive thoughts will help lift you up. Then make a point of acting happy.

As a result, you will feel better. That will help you think more effectively. And you will attract solutions. Soon, the cause of grumpiness will diminish.

June 23, 2008

In fact, most successes are described in terms of a number, such as money (e.g., income), size (e.g., house), or quantity (e.g., toys).

So then we ask, how much is enough to warrant being a success?

For example, would you be happy if you had 10% more? Or 50% more? Or 1,000% more?

And if achievement governs your happiness, are you happier now than you were when you had less than you have today?

You see, there's a dilemma here.

On one hand, our sense of success cannot be tied to a level of achievement. Otherwise, we relinquish control over our personal happiness.

And we really have very little control over our achievements. Even our best efforts can still deliver less than we wanted. In addition, some people keep moving (raising) their definition of success as they approach it.

But at the same time, we need to keep striving to achieve as much as we can. Otherwise, we deprive ourselves of fully realizing our potential. And then, this potential increases as we grow because achievement enhances our abilities.

So, life has to be a continuous climb toward success where we enjoy the view at every point of the journey. Because we never know how far we can go or how much is enough.

Key Point: Do the best you can with what you have. keep moving. And feel grateful for what you have done.